Representation of ‘Masculinities’ in Bombay

Cinema: Millennial Men

Exploring the visual representations of masculinities
in Bombay cinema and the narratives pertaining to
the construction of a ‘nationalist’ identity in Lakshya.

A Research Paper presented by:

Vemuri Nagalaxmi Sushrutha
(India)
in partial fulfilment of the requirements for obtaining the
degree of
MASTER OF ARTS IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

Major:

Social Justice Perspectives: Human rights, Gender and Conflict

Studies.

(SJP)

Members of the Examining Committee:

Dr. Dubravka Žarkov

Karen Gabriel

The Hague, The Netherlands

November 2017
December 2017

ii
 Cinema’s characteristic forte is its ability to
capture and communicate the intimacies of the
human mind.

Satyajit Ray

iii
Table of Contents

Acknowledgements vi
Abstract vii
Chapter 1 Introduction 8
Origin and legacy: 8
Towards critical research: 9

Chapter 2 : Theoretical foundations 11

Gender 11
Unpacking gender: 11
Crisis of Masculinity: 12
Representation 14
Towards a film theory: 14
Representing ‘masculine’ characters: 16
The new man image: 18
Nationalism 19
Nation and Nationalism: 19
War and masculinity: 21
Nationalism in India- Hindu Nationalism: 21

Chapter 3 : Context 24
Hindi Hero: 24
Research Questions: 28

Chapter 4 : Methodology 29
Method: 29
Researcher’s bias and positionality: 30
Sample: 32

iv
 Plot: 32

Chapter 5 : Analysis 35
Making of the man: 35
Father: 36
Love interest: 38
Friends: 41
The army: 44
Music: 46
Narrative of the film: 47

Chapter 6 : Conclusions 48
Reflecting on the New man: 48
Limitations and scope: 49

References: 52

v
Acknowledgements

To all those who kept me motivated during the melancholy rainy days.

To my mom and dad, for showing faith in me and supporting me throughout. To

my grandparents, for offering me comfort and comic relief. To my sister, for being
my pillar of strength.

To Nahda, for relentlessly mentoring me through my indecisive phase.

To Dubravka and Karen, for being patient to deal with my procrastinating

behaviour.

To all the people who have inspired me, supported me and enlightened me.

vi
Abstract

This study examines the representation of masculinities in Bombay cinema

through a qualitative study of Farhan Akhtar’s Lakshya. Set in the context of
India-Pakistan conflict during 1999, this paper explores the representation of
masculinities in the film and examines the consequent production of the
nationalist identity through the gendered discourse.

The societal shift in masculinities in the 1990s and the 2000s, when compared
to the masculinities in the film, show strong parallels between the reality and
media portrayals of reality. Narratives of the New Man mark the transition
from hegemonic forms of masculinities and nationalisms to diverse and
adaptive embodiment of gender. The nationalist discourse on Indian
masculinities reveal an overlap between the performance of gender and
nationalism with similar historical trajectories. An amalgamation of Indian
masculinities, Indian Nationalism, Bombay cinema and critical film theory has
yielded in this work aimed at understanding and problematizing this dynamic
nexus.

Relevance to Development Studies

Men and masculinity studies form an integral part of the discourses on Gender
and Development by approaching social justice issues through a gendered lens.
Understanding the representation of masculinities through media renders an
opportunity for exploring and problematizing the complex socio-cultural elements
within the dynamics of time specific geo-political backdrop.

Keywords

Masculinity, Bombay Cinema, Nationalism, Representation.

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Chapter 1 Introduction

Origin and legacy:

Raja Harishchandra, the first ever documented Indian film was produced by Dada Saheb
Phalke, the father of Indian Cinema, and was screened on 9th of May 1913 marking the birth of
a phenomena that would grow into a billion-dollar industry. (Gabriel 2010: 4, Dwyer 2010: 382,
Dudrah and Desai 2008, Hutchinson 2013) Kaushik Bhaumik notes the existence of films
before 1913; the financial backing and flourishing film culture during the first decades of the
20th century were the foundations for the film industry.(Bhaumik 2004: 1) The first film (silent)
was based on the tale of a King who never lied was marketed as the first Indian made film that
would appeal to the Hindu audience. During the colonial rule, this film was a “swadeshi” treat
even though Phalke received help from foreign friends while making the film and hence started
the discourse of nationalism in Indian cinema. It took the industry 17 years to move a step
further in experimenting with cinema when Aardeshir Irani produced the first ‘Talkie’ film
Alam Ara. The upswing continued in the film world and the number of movies being produced
increased drastically and they show no sign of slowing down.(Bhaumik 2004, Chakravarty
2008, Dissanayake 2003, Dudrah and Desai 2008, Dudrah 2006, Dwyer 2010, Gabriel 2010,
Hutchinson 2013, Mishra 2006) Bhaumik elaborates on the historical genealogy of the Bombay
cinema; the silent period was dominated by adventure romance films while the 1930s brought in
the music, and social realist cinema became popular.

Post-Independence, the film industry shifted towards romantic melodrama positioned

around reformatory social questions of marriage and class whereas adventure romance films got
subdued in due course of time. 1950s saw a rise in the qualitative and quantitate output of
Bombay cinema with classic films like Awaara, Mother India, Pyaasa, Mughal-E-Azam and
many more which dealt with diverse themes. The Nehruvian model for Independent India
brought in the critical element of ‘modernity’ which became an important theme for the film
industry which was still traditionally rooted. Films from this period became the subject of
interest for scholars as they brought in social- realist romance films and ‘Nehruvian ideology of
reform through the creation of the ideal Indian citizen’ together. This juxtaposition added to the

8
discourse on nationalist identity which was in boom owing to the freedom struggle and the
harsh reality of Partition. Consequent decades saw films experimenting different genres with
diverse technologies like the production of the color-film, moving to the Hollywood action
genre, etc. (Hutchinson 2013)

Towards critical research:

Bombay cinema has been under constant scrutiny by film scholars and enthusiasts
which has always departed from the categoric understanding of films through genre analysis,
character analysis or semiotic reading of the texts. These varied attempts at understanding the
dynamics between film and society provide enormous opportunity for academic enquiry
pertaining to representation in films, influence of films, economic growth due to films and many
more. My paper aims at one such branch of enquiry which revolves around gendered and
nationalist representations in films. I attempt to couple my interests in films with the academic
discourses on gender to forge an entry into this wide scholarship which is crucial for gender
studies, specifically the field of men and masculinities. Situating this work within the wider
spectrum of Gender studies directly associated with Development, I would like to reason with
Cleaver in associating gender equality and social justice in one of the themes in his work on
Men and Masculinities: New Directions in Gender and Development. Cleaver states that
approaches to gender help development policy and practice to understand the disadvantages
faced by men and women based on the structural differences in the society which leads to
stereotyping. (Cleaver 2002: 2) After establishing the ground for my research, I would like to
shift the focus back to Bombay cinema and understanding representations of masculinities.

Bhaumik notices that the Bombay cinema has never been an easy space to navigate
through for scholars as it offered nuanced versions of readings of films without giving in to any
ideological typification.(Bhaumik 2004) The films become artistic pieces of work that can be
understood, interpreted in numerous ways expanding the film scholarship to various avenues
like psychoanalysis, economics, politics, etc. Combining gender identity and nationalist identity
in films refines the focus of research and provides deeper understanding of the dynamics
between discourses on gender and nation. However, focusing on a specific line of enquiry into

9
this issue, I aim to understand the representations of masculinities in Bombay cinema and the
ensuing production of the nationalist identity.

The research is focused on understanding the different portrayals of ‘masculinities’ in

mainstream Bombay cinema in the context of India-Pakistan conflict and the subsequent
construction of the ‘nationalist’ identity. Although the debates between cinema being the
realistic representation of the social reality and fictional reproduction of the social reality have
been known to cause a divide in the understanding of the cinematic medium as a form of
communication that impacts general population, there have been studies that prove that cinema
influences the masses. (Chopra et al, 2004; Gabriel, 2010). It is important to understand and
problematize the dynamics behind the representation of specific notions of both masculinities
and representations of nationalist identity in Bombay cinema, as the significations of these
overlap at various levels.

The paper is structured in a way that provides a comprehensive picture about the
literature around gender, representation and nationalism discussing various theoretical aspects
that are used in the analysis of the film. This is followed by a chapter detailing the context of the
research problem and discusses work which is context specific and establishes a direct link
between literature and the Indian backdrop more specifically Bombay cinema. After a careful
review of literature and systematically laying out the foundations about the research problem,
research questions follow. The Methodology chapter discusses my mode of enquiry and
plausible biases that would influence my analysis. In this chapter, I also discuss my sample –
the film and provide a summary of the plot which would be discussed in the analysis.

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Chapter 2 : Theoretical foundations

In this chapter I would like to critically engage with academic discourses on gender,
representation and notions around nationhood in films. Signorielli’s three step process to study
mass media outlines that the first step includes understanding the messages conveyed to the
audience through media. The second step deals with the effects of these messages and the third
step involves exploration of the institutional mechanisms that create meanings and ensures their
continuity. Adhering to the first step in studying the meanings portrayed in media, we bring
together the second and the third steps into functioning as they rely on the meanings conveyed
through media.(Signorielli 2001) While navigating through academic discourses on gender in
media, the humungous amounts of research in this field might distract the readers and leave
them in a maze of interdisciplinary research around gender and media. Since the paper has a
clear objective of understanding the representations of masculinities and production of
nationalist identity, I wish to deconstruct the complex objective into its elements simultaneously
connecting them to get a clear understanding of the literature on the research problem. The
chapter is broadly divided into three sections addressing different elements of the research.

Gender
Unpacking gender:
Joan Scott argues that Gender as a power relation operates within four levels of social
interaction: subjective identities, institutions and organizations, ideology, doctrine and symbolic
meanings embedded in the society. Gender as a category does not exist in vacuum but intersects
with other social relations of power that exist and operate simultaneously in the society
alongside gender which is contextualized historically and socially which is also temporal and
spatial. This notion of gender significantly affects the way in which gender is conceptualized by
different individuals located within diverse social categories that determine their understanding
of the concept.(Scott 1986: 1065) Scott’s argument about gender and its interaction with other
social relations of power can be critically applied to the Indian context to understand how
gendered identity of an individual is constructed in society using symbols, meanings and words.

11
Crisis of Masculinity:
Masculinities have been understood differently by various authors, and the evolution
of this branch of gender studies has been very crucial in explaining various phenomena that
connect critical claims regarding patriarchy and gender. As Kimmel notes,

“Four decades of feminism has been accompanied by four decades of increasingly

shrill (and increasingly loud) denunciations of feminists – from bra-burners to
“feminazis”. Gender equality, we’ve been told, is really for women, who lose
themselves in that great big world, and can only find themselves as mothers, in the
home, where they belong. Gender is even worse for children, who somehow get the
misguided idea that women can do anything that men can do- including compete on
an even playing field. But underneath this is the idea that gender equality is really,
really bad for men. If women can both bring home the bacon and fry it up in the pan,
what does that say about men, who have been sitting impatiently at the head of the
table waiting for their dinner to be served on time?” (Kimmel 2010: 3)

Kimmel’s argument brings some critical discussions about gender and development
into light by attempting to shift the focus from women to men, thereby drawing attention to the
importance of interrogating masculinity as well. Tim Edwards draws an analogy between the
three waves of critical studies in masculinity studies and in feminism: the first phase during the
1970s where much of the focus was on sex role paradigm, the ‘big boys don’t cry’ syndrome
which dealt with the relation between masculinities and emotional/psychological repression.
The second wave emerged as a critique of the sex role paradigm, as it created a divide among
the sexes and limiting theoretically by failing to recognize the pluralities creating a hegemonic
category. The second wave of these studies also became a crucial milestone in integrating
‘power’ related research and masculinity studies while the third wave which began post
liberalization, problematizes the gendered individual based on sexuality, normativity and
performativity. (Edwards 2004) Coupled with similar questions in the case of feminism, a
network of interdisciplinary fields of studies have tried to make sense of the exhaustive
literature around men and masculinity studies. In addition to the emphasis on understanding the
relationship between representation and broader aspects of transformation and reproduction of

12
these masculinities and identities, many studies found a positive correlation between the
representation and the reproduction of masculinities. (Edwards 2004: 3)

The male characters in the film represent different forms of masculinity as these have
been described by Connell, and which exist in contrast to femininities and are ‘a configuration
of practice within a system of gender order’. This system of hierarchical forms of masculinities
is a product of power relations rather than perceived alternative forms of lifestyle which alter
depending on the masculinity an individual identifies with. However, the origin of this system is
the violence and prejudice against homosexual men by straight men which led to the power
hierarchies between different masculinities. This seems like a plausible explanation for the
power relations between different men based on their intersectional layers of identities.
Connell’s views on hegemony inspired from Gramsci’s, conceptualize masculinity as not
necessarily violent but as supported by force which meant gaining consent and domination over
others through culture, institutions and persuasion (Connell and Messerschmidt 2005).
Researchers have found these hierarchies affecting all spheres of life ranging from crimes to
sports which helped them theorize the relationship between masculinities and other activities
like crimes, violence, sports, military and mass media. ('“Night to His Day”:; The Social
Construction of Gender', 1994, Banaji 2013, Connell and Messerschmidt 2005, Kimmel 2006,
West and Zimmerman 1987)

Masculinity was characterized by “aggression, competitiveness, emotional ineptitude

and coldness, and dependent upon an overriding and exclusive emphasis on penetrative sex” by
authors of The Sexuality of Men by Metcalf and Humphries (as cited in Nixon 1997: 296).
However, the recent work around masculinity begins examining the pluralities in lieu of
understanding sexual identities from the eighteenth century onward by theorists like Jeffrey
Weeks who discussed this elaborately in both Sex, Politics and Society, and Sexuality and its
Discontents. In Family Fortunes, Davidoff and Hall discuss the various aspects of society that
shape masculinities, and which exist in contrast to femininities in the working class that
operated in a hierarchical power nexus. As discussed earlier, the hierarchies between men, in
terms of masculinities and between masculinities and femininities operates based on power and
create groups that are weak in relation to other groups. Weeks argues that masculinities, like all
identities are ‘invented categories’ which are built on the ‘the cultural meanings attached to

13
certain attributes, capacities, dispositions and forms of conduct at given historical moments’ (as
cited in Nixon 1997: 301). Nixon discusses representation as a symbolic way in which cultural
meanings construct the notions of masculinities, femininities and the wider spectrum of gender
relations.

Nixon uses Foucault’s arguments on discourse and power to formulate the notion of
the ‘new man’, which forms the framework for his analysis of the same in various media.
Foucault’s notions about the dispersive nature of power shift the focus from a concrete image of
the ‘new man’ to more diverse metaphors of masculine identities created at various sites of
representation. There are specific symbolic ‘codes and conventions’ that reproduce the
imaginings of the masculine identities corresponding to the nature of these symbols and the
power dynamics that operate around them. Such a nexus of power between the different
identities creates contrasting divisions between what is normative and what is not, based on the
codes and conventions generated by the imagery of the masculine identities. This is followed by
the institutional practices that reinforce the ‘new man’ image created by symbolic representation
and the subsequent production of knowledge and skills accompanying these nuanced
impressions of masculinities. Finally, Foucault’s contentions about the nature of power and the
various interpretations of such diverse forms of representation of the ‘new man’ make the
discussion around the different masculine identities and the visual codes that correspond to
them accessible to the academic scholars. (Nixon 1997: 303, Gillam and Wooden 2008)

Representation
Towards a film theory:
Following the trajectory of representation, media researchers such as Milan have
explicitly stated that popular culture is a ‘mirror’ that reflects the culture and, creates culture by
reproducing and reinforcing norms and social benchmarks. (as cited in Finklea 2014: 16)
Edwards notes that the ‘crisis of masculinity’ is essentially also a ‘crisis of representation’
which leads into two phases of enquiry: first, the nature and scope of ‘crisis of masculinity’ in
its representational aspect and the second, the representations of the current trends in
masculinity and their direct relevance to the case of ‘crisis of masculinity’. (Edwards 2007: 15)
There is a need to acknowledge that the crisis that is being addressed by Edwards can be

14
interpreted as material crisis that masculinity is undergoing and representational crisis of
masculinities.

In the Indian context, there are many factors that contribute to the development of the
‘masculine’ individual among which the entertainment industry has created a niche for itself.
“Cinema is important among all social groups” (Osella and Osella 2004: 228) Bombay cinema
is known to impact the audience so much so that young men in many parts of the country try to
‘copy’ the heroes and trying to adopt the scenarios played out in the cinema into their daily
lives. (Osella and Osella 2004, Balaji 2014, Bhaumik 2004, Chopra et al. 2004, Dudrah and
Desai 2008, Dudrah 2006, Dwyer 2010, Gabriel 2010, Mishra 2006, Nandy 1981, Rajan 2006)
Studies have shown that the influence of Bombay cinema spreads far and wide from China to
the US. From a sociological perspective, Nandy refers to the Bombay film as a ‘spectacle’ that
follows rules and principles which are distinctive in differentiating between Bollywood cinema
and other artistic forms of work. The first principle followed by the Bombay cinema is being
very clear in their approach towards reality and representation where they drastically depart
from logic. “The popular film tries to be convincing as a spectacle by exaggeration. It does not
even try to be a direct reflection of everyday reality.” (Nandy 1981: 90)
The characterization of individuals is black and white in terms of their inherent ideals
leaving no scope for grey areas that can be open to interpretation however if there are instances
that demand the characters to move away from the grey areas of ideological standpoints, they
clearly choose either the black or the white preconditioned according to their experiences.
Nandy’s description of such distinct categories in characteristic features of the film portrayals
shows his inability to perceive nuances and problematize them. The changes experienced by the
individuals are extreme nature which have a psychological impact on the audience even though
the content of the ‘spectacle’ is anti-psychological. Second, the Bollywood spectacle always has
a ‘predictable’ conclusion giving the sense of déjà vu thereby offering a very limited scope for
distinction. This is precisely another reason why even though a significant number of films flop
financially, the makers do not discontinue the film making process hoping that they will be
successful. The third is regarding the time sequence of the storyline that is designed to maintain
the continuous link between the events creating a platform for the viewer to judge the characters
based on their actions; what they were, what they are and eventually what they turn into.
(Nandy 1981: 91) Nandy also argues that the nature of the Bombay film to be ahistorical and

15
being abstract in contrast to pinning down the characters in the film to specific individuals will
maintain the audience viewership. Another reason stated for such abstraction from typified
details is the need for the film to create a parallel universe which is arguably moving towards a
utopian conclusion. (ibid.) Nandy’s argument follows a narrative discourse of the Bombay
cinema although it is not my intention to use all his views for my analysis of the film. The film
being ahistorical does not imply that the films are situated in arbitrary spatial and temporal
frames, it can be interpreted as something that is independent of the historical facts either in its
story or in its conception of cinematography. It is important to critique the elements of Nandy’s
arguments that dismiss the effect of socio-historical construction of sexualities.
film to create a parallel universe which is arguably moving towards a utopian conclusion. (ibid.)

Representing ‘masculine’ characters:

Understanding the representation of the characters in the film requires a deeper
understanding of the dynamics of representation and its association with culture which can be
done by unpacking the notions of representation, culture and the politics behind interpreting the
meanings associated with each of these. Stuart Hall believes that representation is a key feature
in which ‘culture’ is generated which is summarized as ‘shared meanings’ produced by a
medium in a ‘representational system’ which he calls ‘The circuit of culture’.(Hall 1997: 1)
However, providing a range of conceptual meanings for the term ‘culture’, Hall presents a fluid
definition that transcends through the boundaries of art, literature and forms of mass media into
‘shared values’. Furthering the discussion on the theories of representation, Hall outlines three
major approaches of how representation works through language; reflective approach,
intentional approach and constructionist approach.

Nixon uses Foucault’s work on power and knowledge to understand the subjective
discourse of creating masculine imagery and the consequent interpretation of such imagery. He
brings together the concepts of psychoanalysis and subjectivity to understand how cultural
codes are created that mark the imaginings of the ‘new man’ and impact individuals in real life
in contrast to their representative nature that maybe fictional. He uses Oedipus complex,
scopophilia and narcissism to conceptualize the relationship between the imagery and the
audience of the metaphors. Nixon further elaborates Freud’s psychoanalytical work on the
individual’s ego which is distinguished based on two kinds of desire: object cathexis where a

16
person wants to have the other person whereas the aspiration to be the other person is termed
as identification. Freudian theory integrates possession (by object cathexis) and assimilation
(by identification) that operate within the nexus of Oedipus complex, scopophilia and
narcissism to create the visual codes and conventions between gender identity and sexuality. (as
cited in Nixon 1997: 317). Nixon’s use of the psychoanalytic approach provides a new and
interesting perspective to the spectatorship of film and the discourse that accompanies but it
would be very difficult to adapt this approach for analysis without proper training in
psychoanalytic theories and their usage.

Shifting the focus from psychoanalytical understanding of representation and

identity formation, Nixon and Edwards establish the functional relationship between film theory
and spectatorship through the Freudian psychoanalytical construction of gender identity and
sexuality. Discussing the work of Mulvey, they emphasize on the critical aspect of spectatorship
that creates an imbalance in power between the genders, the audience and the object that is
being cinematically represented. Accordingly, Mulvey distinguishes between the active looking
of the film as masculine and the object of spectacle as the passive feminine, reiterating her
views on the palpable distinction between representation of gendered identities and their
subjective interpretations.(as cited in Nixon 1997: 319, as cited in T Edwards 2004: 118) Nixon
also relies on Neale’s work on masculinity titled ‘Masculinity as spectacle’ that extends
Mulvey’s conceptualization of the object and the audience to focus on the male audience and
their subjective interpretation of the representation within the narrative cinema that occurs
through subtle visual codes. These include attributes of ‘toughness, hardness and being in
control’ which leave no scope for weaknesses or vulnerabilities offering the male members in
the audience a ‘fantasy of power and control’. (ibid)

Although these arguments have their specific limitations, the major factor that
limits the application of this framework to determine the representational aspect of cinema is
that it downplays the wide spectrum of masculinities and femininities by conceptualizing a
singular idea of these fluid categories.

17
The new man image:
MacKinnon argues that hegemonic masculinities need to undergo constant change to
maintain their hegemony by reacting and adapting to their object of subjugation. In this case,
accepting femininities and reproducing it in a hegemonic way would create newer versions of
masculinities that are less hegemonic to maintain their hegemony. (as cited in Finklea 2014: 19)
Trujillo elaborated on the characteristic features of hegemonic masculinity as projected by
Nolan Ryan in the American culture which can be contextualized for the Indian scenario as
well. There are five key features of performing hegemonic masculinity: “1) physical force and
control, 2) occupational achievement, 3) familial patriarchy, 4) frontiersmanship and 5)
heterosexuality.”(as cited in Finklea 2014: 21) It is important to specify that very few
individuals can fulfill all the above mentioned hyperbolic category of hegemonic masculinity,
but they tweak some aspects of these characteristic features to suit their performance of
masculinity and thus emerged the New Man.

Jeffords outlines the basic difference between the two versions of masculinities is the
strengths in their individual personalities; traditional depictions of masculinity always
emphasized on physical strength and emotional unavailability whereas the New Man narratives
point towards men who are capable of emotional expression, parenting children and value inter-
personal relationships. (Jeffords 1994: 136) This new version of masculinity has been discussed
by scholars (Hatfield 2010, Jeffords 1994, MacKinnon 2003, Malin 2005) as it became a
symbol of masculinity in the 1990s throughout 2000s which was popularized by mediated
portrayals of the same. However, the physical elements of performing gender remain intact with
a revised set of codes that adapt the feminine parts with considerable deliberation.

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Nationalism
Nation and Nationalism:
The paper aims at discussing the production of the ‘nationalist’ identity in the
cinematic narrative through representation and subjective interpretations of the characters in the
film therefore it is important to trace out the origins of ‘nation’, ‘nationalism’ and its numerous
links to masculinity. Drawing upon the work of Nagel and Vijayan, I wish to unpack the above-
mentioned concepts to provide a theoretical grounding to my arguments that explore the
masculinities and their links to nationhood in the film. Nagel’s work on building up the
association between colonialism, war, nationhood and masculinity bring various debates about
gender and sexuality to light whereas Vijayan’s analysis of the Indian context delves deeper into
the exploration of Hindutva masculinities combined with the socio-political factors that shape
the ‘masculine’ identities. Nagel’s book Race, Ethnicity and Sexuality: Intimate Intersections
and Forbidden Frontiers deals with comprehending the interplay between race, ethnicity and
sexuality where she coins the term “ethnosexual” that refers to the intersection and interaction
between ethnicity and sexuality which included the interconnectedness of the two in relation to
power and meaning. (Nagel 2003 : 142)

Nation: “a collective identity associated with a region or territory that

is sovereign or asserts sovereignty and self-rule.” (Nagel 2003: 148)

Nationalism: “ideology that professes a common history, shared

culture, and rightful homeland, and is often marked by ethnocentrism
where nationalists assert moral, cultural, and social superiority over
other nations and nationalisms… can be unifying … or source of conflict
and fractionalization.” (ibid)

19
 The relationship between colonialism and the construction of masculinities and
femininities in the colonies by the colonial masters and the colonial subjects as a historical
background to the modern-day construction of the sexual identities of individuals and
subsequent monitoring of these aspects by creating ‘boundaries’ has been discussed as a
precursor to understand the formation of the nation state and the role of gender in doing so.
Benedict Anderson, in Imagined Communities, states that the symbol of the tomb of an
unknown soldier is an explicit representation of the modern nationalism that leaves a lot of
space for interpretation regarding the tomb. “Nations are empty vessels waiting to be filled by
the symbolic work of nationalist founders and defenders.” (as cited in Nagel 2003: 157)
Nationalism and masculinity have a lot in common starting from their shared histories to the
current day emphasis on the ideal types of nationalism and masculinities. Nagel further
discusses how the idea of nationalism and the movement towards the creation of the nation state
caused a setback to the women’s movement leading to the subjugation of women by the
patriarchal discourses combined with the nationalist discourses. Honor, patriotism, cowardice,
bravery and duty are recurring themes which are difficult to distinguish from nationalistic and
masculinist discourses in film literature that is methodically linked to the notions of the nation
and to manhood alike. Cynthia Enloe, “nationalism has typically sprung from masculinized
memory, masculinized humiliation and masculinized hope.” (Enloe 2014: 45)

Lambevski and Ho and Tsang state that “individuals can cross ethnic boundaries in
the most intimate way, by having sex with one another, yet the ethnic boundary between them
remains in place.” (as cited in Nagel 2003: 166) ‘Masculinist heterosexuality is the core of the
national borders.’ Nagel continues the discussion and proceeds towards the practices of
ethnosexual economy of around the globe in locations that necessarily might not be the ideal
locations one could imagine for libidinal actions. With the example of Korean and American
ties with each other through the construction of the ‘seductive’ Asian female, she tries to give a
contextual background to the nature of gendered relations between different ethnic groups and
their functional systems. Various discourses that question the survival of young men in the
military in war zones without the service of these ‘women’ are lined up to understand the type
of masculinities that the men in the military try to exhibit. Bringing up the concept of ‘comfort
women’, Enloe argues that sexuality has been central to all military operations and militaries
around the world. “Women have been known to accompany militaries providing them with

20
services such as laundry, nursing, companionship, and sex to the soldiers.” But most of the
times, local women are enrolled as comfort women. (as cited in Nagel 2003: 181)

War and masculinity:

Rape is used a major form of violence during wars to control groups of individuals.
Usually military men do not rape their ‘own’ women unless they are deemed disloyal or
traitorous. Susan Brownmiller notes that gang rape is a common form of violence during wars
that was used as a tool to dominate or conquer enemy men by raping their women (as cited in
Nagel 2003: 181). With various examples from around the world, the author tries to establish
the fact that rape as a form of violence affects women physically and mentally, but it also
threatens the masculinity of the men that are unable to protect their own women against assault
by foreign men. Rape as a tool for ethnic cleansing and various accounts of the brutal angles of
rape have been presented by Nagel which clearly indicate the trauma and terror the women go
through, but it also shows that the men who perpetrate these crimes are conditioned to do so to
show their patriotism to their ethnic group and to prove that they do not respect the others.
(Nagel 2003: 185) Kazuko Watanabe identifies that the men are trapped in these masculinist
roles that they must fulfill which rewards them with prostitutes and makes them emotionally
detached and practically void of any feeling towards others. (as cited in Nagel 2003: 186)

Nationalism in India- Hindu Nationalism:

Colonialist discourses presented Indian men as “undersexed, passive, feminine,
deferential and incapable of autonomous action”. Said argues that “marriage between exotic and
the erotic” is central to the Western understanding of the Orient (as summarized by Boone and
cited in Nagel 2003: 153) . Stoler suggests that the European-Asian sexual linkages have
consequences that threatened to expose the fiction of European moral superiority, self-
discipline, and libidinal self-control. (as cited in Nagel 2003: 153) Under the theme of exploring
patriarchy as masculine hegemony, Vijayan brings in a set of explanations that point out to the
fact that patriarchy paves way for men to dominate over other oppressed men irrespective of
their caste, class or race. This idea of hegemony comes from the notion of domination that is
seen over women, but it is not clearly articulated for other men. Presenting the Indian case,
Vijayan describes the Indian diaspora post-Independence predominantly dominated by Hindus
which derived strength in numbers even though they were divided in numerous ways by the

21
virtue of caste, class and gender. (Vijayan 2002: 30) Vijayan’s work also explores the analytical
and theoretical debates on men and masculinity studies which overtly focus on the different
versions of masculinities downplaying the significance of structural blocks which sustain these
forms of masculinities. This is in contrast with Nandy’s arguments that consider film to be
ahistorical when the semantics of the film demand a structural signifier that determines the
frame through which the narrative is formed. Vijayan discusses the emergence of Hindu
nationalism and how it navigates through gender and caste at specified spatial and temporal
reference frames. (Vijayan 2012: 215)

The discussion about ‘Western modernity’ is a constant focal point of Vijayan’s

argument which looks at the Nehruvian model of development and places the Indian male actors
in the context of changing socio-political situation. The differentiation between the personal
laws and the public laws play an important role in deciding the active actors that exercise
patriarchy in the personal realm that is highly based on the gendered identity of individuals.
Masculinity is an underlying concept that comes up often while referring to the communal
differences as the personal laws are based on religion and the Shah Bano case brought this issue
to the mainstream debate about the Sharia Law in India where the majority formed a
homogeneous group against ‘the other’. This scenario united the Hindus against other religious
groups and being the numerical majority, they had the privilege that usually accompanies the
hegemonic power over the others. (Vijayan 2002: 42)

This was followed by the communal riots during the demolition of Babri masjid in
1992, which brought out the debate of personal laws into the public realm and gave power to the
Hindu nationalists who “Hinduized” the state and created a nation that was divided based on the
masculine concept of Hindu identity that became the hegemonic form of power exercised by the
state. (Vijayan 2002: 43) Hindu nationalism has its roots in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
(RSS) and the political extension of this organization, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) created a
nexus of strong political and ideological framework that opposed the economic reforms in the
post liberalization period proposing the concept of “Swadeshi” (self-reliant) state of affairs. The
masculinities described by the Hindu nationalistic discourse stress on the importance of control
and restraint which was completely different from the claims laid by the Hindutva masculinity
that aimed at continuing and strengthening the existing patriarchal structures. They also make

22
sure that the gendered divisions in the society are not questioned in relation to women and their
social status relating to the men. Mostly focusing on hegemonic aspect of masculinity in the
nationalist discourses of the Hindutva group in India, Vijayan briefs us about the structural
aspects that control the nature of men and their laws. Women and their relation to these forms of
hegemonic masculinities are not contested by him which could be a major gap in addressing
social justice through a gender lens in this discussion.

Summarizing the chapter, I would like to point out that Sumati Chakravarty articulates
how the ‘hero’ is a compatible narrative when it comes to Bollywood cinema.

“A similar though historically and culturally distinct effort at incorporating

heterogeneity and reveling in it is evident in Indian commercial cinema in terms of
the male body as the interface of multiple regional, class and religious identities and
texts. The male hero as the center and source of narrative meaning is
“resemanticized” into a mode of instability and the dispersion of meaning. Forms of
disguise, impersonation and masquerade are the visual means that serve to render
this move from the natural to the acculturated body, allowing the spectator means
of recognition of his/her social world within the world of the film through the hero’s
“play” with the signifiers of dress, accent, and gesture. This distinct tendency within
the Bombay film to both identify and nullify marks of (intercultural) difference in a
wide variety of textual situations allows national identity to surface as so many
styles of the flesh.” (Chakravarty 2008: 84)

23
Chapter 3 : Context

In this chapter I would like to lay the foundations of the contextual background by
outlining the image of the male protagonist in Bombay cinema through history. A detailed
description of the hero in Bombay cinema with traces of nationalist discourses is followed by a
meticulous sketch of the geo-political setup between India and Pakistan. The proposed research
questions arising from the review of literature and a thorough knowledge of the context have
been listed towards the end of the chapter.

Hindi Hero:
Representation in cinema takes a different forms when it comes to masculinity and
Bollywood where there are different eras of the heroes that have defined specific type of
masculinity that corresponds to them that have had a wide scholarship. (Bainbridge and Yates
2005, Balaji 2014, Banaji 2013, Chopra et al. 2004, Dissanayake 2003, Dudrah and Desai 2008,
Dudrah 2006, Gabriel 2003, Gabriel 2010, Kavi 2000, Mishra 2006, Mishra 2009, Vasudevan
2002, Vijayan 2002) For example, Rajesh Khanna was the first male actor to gain the status of
‘superstar’ for the tragic roles he essayed on screen and began the era of the sad hero who is
always at the center of a tragic accident or incident. This was followed by Amitabh Bachchan
who is popular for his ‘angry-young man’ image that became popular during the 1970s and
1980s which saw films that had similar characters for the actor who became a vigilante in these
roles. It is interesting to note that this type of masculinity is still prevalent and widely accepted
by the audience which can be seen in contemporary performances of Ajay Devgn, among
others. The beginning of the 90s saw the rise of a pathological lover which was portrayed by
Shah Rukh Khan in a few movies and by Nana Patekar in many movies that released during the
90s. Towards the end of the 90s, the romantic lover gained more prominence and was played by
most actors during that time parallel to the character of the vigilante that was still popular.
(Gabriel 2010: 183)

During the 1970s, the political situation of the country was in a chaotic state that led to
the emergence of this vigilante characters in cinema and their corresponding stories that

24
challenged the state authority which was usually portrayed as corrupt, immoral and
irresponsible and the intervention of the vigilante protagonist was necessary to maintain order in
the society. Academicians have studied this ‘vigilante’ hero in various ways to understand the
implications of such roles on masses and the emergence of this kind of masculinity. (Dudrah
2006: 187, Dudrah and Desai 2008, Gabriel 2010: 187) The following years saw the rise of a
new generation of actors who diversified the type of ‘manly’ identity they projected in the film
with actors like Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn and Sunny Deol coming into the
industry during the end of the 80s and towards the beginning of the 90s. This period also saw a
significant increase in the number of films produced in a year giving scope for more actors to
work in the industry competitively. The film industry across the country saw rapid expansion
during the new millennium providing more opportunities of work in the film industry in
different fields like technical jobs, music-related jobs and active filmmaking process. (Gabriel
2010)

Portrayal of men in the Bollywood has been always in a way as to project masculinities
that exist and in contrast to femininities in an aggravated form when compared to reality. Most
researchers claim that the relationship between cinema and realist representation is complicated
as it is an art form that can show unrealistic events with ease. It has been argued that cinema
effectively accommodates the social reality and the utopian fiction set within specific socio-
cultural context. (Gabriel 2010: 89)

Most feature films do not show the world as it is, and Hindi cinema is no
exception to this rule: It is concerned with entertainment, presented with
an excess of emotion and spectacle, whose high points are numerous
song and dance numbers. Bollywood – which can be labelled eclectic
and hybrid – is happy to mix elements of realism with fantasy (often
in the same frame or sequence), anything in fact that will allow it to
entertain. Escapism is the usual label with which such entertainment is
derided – as if entertainment should be edifying or instructive – but,
as has been noted by Richard Dyer, the forms of escape and escapism
are rewarding objects of study. (Dyer in Dwyer 2010: 383)

25
 While most filmmakers prefer to use the dominant discourse of a middle class, Hindu
male, heterosexual protagonist, deviances from the discourse are also prominently evident in
films like Chak De India (2007) where the protagonist being a Muslim had to prove his
patriotism by trying to overtly exhibit such feelings towards the nation. However, in the
dominant discourse there is no ‘real’ need to prove patriotism as it is perceived that Hindus are
patriotic by default as shown in Sarfarosh (1999), Swadesh (2004) and Lagaan (2001) although
they have their own nuances which might not be apt to show comparatively. Movies based on
conflict directly aim to portray the Muslim as ‘bad’ whereas they portray the dominant ‘Hindu’
as the savior who protects the nation’s borders, the entire geographic region or the people. This
discourse is enhanced to suit the nationalist lens of looking at gendered identity in a way as to
understand the use of ‘borders’ to control the women thereby controlling the ‘honor’ of the
nation. There has been significant research into understanding the protectionism of men in
regard to women. This has offered varied opinions about the links between the sexuality of
women and the ‘honor’ of men, the family, the community and society at large. However,
portrayal of this ‘protective’ side of men in the Bollywood film industry has been happening
through the decades in which the male protagonist tries to save his mother, sister, wife or other
female characters in his family, and often the community, religion or the nation itself. However,
understanding the representations of the various types of masculinities plays a major role in
appreciating the nuances that connect these representations to the reality. (Balaji 2014,
Bainbridge and Yates 2005, Chakravarty 2008, Dudrah 2006, Gabriel 1998, Gabriel 2003, Kavi
2000, Monti 2004, Osella and Osella 2004, Rajan 2006, Tere 2012, Vasudevan 2002, Vijayan
2002, Vijayan 2012)

26
\Setting the scene:

One cannot adequately understand Bombay cinema without talking about the India-
Pakistan conflict that has been on-going from the end of British colonial rule, and has been the
central theme in many films. The three wars fought between the two countries have provided
the Bombay cinema industry with a lot of content to produce cinemas about war, cross-border
relations, terrorism, and romance across borders. A subsequent production of the ‘nationalist’
identity in the discourse leads the narrative towards understanding how closely masculinity and
nationalism work their way into patriotic behavior that is expected during conflict situations.
Nationalism is a recurring theme in Bollywood cinema that is usually set out in the context of
India- Pakistan but conflict with China, Sri Lanka and terrorism are also very common which
lead the discussion further into the relationship between nationalism and masculinity. The two
neighboring states in South Asia with constant tensions along the borders have been the focus of
many films across varied genres (e.g. Hum Dono 1961, Aakraman 1975, Hindustan Ki Kasam
1973, Vijeta 1982, Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo 2004). Since the focus of this paper is
on the Kargil war fought between India and Pakistan during 1999, literature around films that
have the Kargil war as the backdrop has been chosen to give context to the paper. Filmmaker J.
P. Dutta has tried to represent the war between India and Pakistan through his ‘war trilogy’
films, Border (1997), Refugee (2000) and LOC Kargil (2003) which were categorized under the
‘war film’ genre. While there are many films that have been situated in the context of the India
Pakistan conflict, there have been fewer war films that have dealt with the actual representation
of the wars fought between these countries.

Since Partition in 1947, there have been 3 major wars fought between India and
Pakistan on the 3000-kilometer border that is shared although there have been severe tensions
regularly in this region. The Kargil war usually considered as an armed conflict rather than a
full-fledged war, fought in 1999 in the Kashmir valley was a counter attack by the Indian armed
forces against the terrorist insurgents in the region that were allegedly backed by the Pakistani
armed forces. Most tensions in the valley are due to the ‘issue of Kashmir’ that has not been
effectively resolved even after 70 years of Independence of both the States which claim that the
land of Kashmir belongs to either of them.(Chakravarty 2008, Gabriel 1998, Ramachandran
2015) This issue has been one of the most recurring themes in Bollywood across genres like

27
drama, action, romance and social cinema and has become the underlying context to many films
that revolve around these two nations and the constant tensions that keep the Kashmir valley
under continuous threat of violence and destruction.

Since gender is performed in personalized ways, there does not exist one definite mode of
‘masculinity’ and understanding the nuances of such diverse characteristics will go a long way
in proving that there are multiple perspectives on masculinity and are equally significant in
determining the scope of masculinity studies. My research aims at understanding the types of
‘masculinities’ that are represented by the characters in the film and the traits that they exhibit
on screen regarding the notions of ‘nation, nationalism, and conflict’. The literature and the
context provide a comprehensive set of plausible questions to answer among which I would like
to focus the questions listed below.

Research Questions:
1. What are the different kinds of masculinities that are represented in the film?
2. How are these ‘masculine’ characters positioned in terms of ‘Nation’?
3. How does the concept of ‘nation’ in India shape the masculinity of characters in the
film?
4. How does nationalism shape the masculinity/ties and femininity/ties of the characters?

I believe that these questions would address the research problem and provide a better
understanding of the representational aspects of Bombay cinema pertaining to masculinities
and nationhood.

28
Chapter 4 : Methodology

In this chapter, I would like to discuss the methodological approach of my paper to

address the research problem along with an exhaustive account of the sample, in this case, the
film chosen to be analyzed. It is also my responsibility to state my position as a researcher
which will be followed by the scope of the paper. Although many scholars have tried to
understand the complicated dynamics between the gendered portrayals in media, they do not
essentially capture the complex plexus of masculinity, cinema and gender with references to
specific spatial and temporal settings. The closest academic work on this can be seen in
Gabriel’s work on Border (1997) which actively explores the various nuances that arise in the
gendered understanding of the characters of the film about their spatial setting.(Gabriel 1998:
828) Gabriel’s work in South Asian Masculinities: context of change, sites of continuity,
examines the formation of the ‘Indian’ identity through gendered narratives in Hey Ram (2000)
and Bombay (1995). Melodrama and the Nation: Sexual Economies of Bombay Cinema 1970-
2000 by Gabriel ventures into the nexus between gender, nation and economy. Chapters are
dedicated to discussing masculinity and nationalism individually as well as in their combined
state where the representational aspect is critically examined. (Gabriel 2010). Vijayan has also
contributed to the literature elaborately on Hindu nationalism and its relationship with
masculine hegemony in the context of modernization. (Vijayan 2004, Vijayan 2012, Vijayan
2002) Building up on this literature, I would like to bring in the concept of the ‘new man’ and
look at Lakshya, which already has the context set out in line with my pursuit of specialization.
This understanding has been actively built upon the previous available academic literature and a
desire to integrate this academic work with the cinematic experience of the new age.

Method:
To understand the representation of men and masculinity, it is crucial to examine the characters
represented in the film and how they are positioned in terms of gender, nation and nationalism.
While undertaking a discourse analysis of the film, the content of the film plays an important
role in understanding the film and its underlying meanings. Understanding the basic features of

29
content analysis might help us in making clear assumptions, deductions and conclusions about
the film and provide a clear pathway that needs to be followed to analyze the chosen film.

 Data does not have objective, reader-independent qualities

 There are no single meanings to any set of data
 Data generates different meanings in different contexts
 Meanings are generated by accompanying factors of the data like the time, the audience
or the producer
 Meanings from data are relative to specific needs of the discourses, contexts or purposes
 The inferences drawn from specific data are the result of the nature of the data and the
context chosen by the analyst.

Certainty in developing this method for analyzing can be attributed to previous academic
success and failures and embodied practices which reflect the representative nature of films
obtained from such practices. (Grbich 2012, Krippendorff 2012: 173)

Researcher’s bias and positionality:

Considering the qualitative nature of my academic enquiry, it would only be fair to point
out that the personal biases that I might have will get reflected in the interpretation and analysis
of the film.(Creswell and Clark 2007) Therefore, it is important for me to state my position
clearly with respect to the film which will leave unavoidable traces during the analysis creating
a biased view of the topic. However, studying the film as a text has its own advantages in
contrast to studying people who react to the presence of the observer. It is also important to note
that the process of criticizing an object that is closely associated with an individual’s childhood
can be difficult for a lot of people as described by Bell,(Bell et al. 1995) but I believe that my
previous knowledge base generated by critical engagement with feminist theory and media
theories will provide me with a judicious appreciation for the content of the film. As a female, I
perceive my inquiry into masculinity studies will provide an outsider perspective regarding the
subject in question which can be compared to a male member conducting a similar investigation
making him a part of the community looking around him.

30
 The purpose of this study is to understand the interplay between masculinity and
nationalism within the specific contexts of armed conflict/war, and to analyze the ways in which
the field of men and masculinity studies may be integrated into the study of cinema and conflict
at a specific point in time. The ideal scenario for choosing a specific film for analysis requires a
detailed understanding of the nature of the film and its impact on the audience and I have
chosen to analyze Lakshya (Akhtar 2004) as my sample to look at the construction of
masculinity of characters and their positionality with respect to the nation. In this section I will
introduce my sample (the film) and elucidate my design and the mode of enquiry that I wish to
pursue all the while addressing my positionality and biases that might affect the study.

It was a difficult decision to choose one film for analysis but due to the limited scope of
the paper, my sample was strategically chosen which had all the thematical notions that I
wanted to delve into. After watching other films in the war genre like Border (1997), Refugee
(2000), LOC Kargil (2003), Veer-Zaara (2004), Tango Charlie (2005), Shaurya (2008),
Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) and The Ghazi Attack (2017) this film was chosen as my sample as it
became a film that gained popularity as a ‘new age Bollywood’ cinema for the millennial
generation with different dreams and goals integrated with modern techniques of
cinematography and music. As a film enthusiast and a woman growing up in the 2000s, I have
grown up watching Bollywood films which have been a constant source of entertainment and
information that is sold through a fantasy which might not concur on logical stands. Lakshya
inspired a generation of youth by creating a new interesting career path for the struggling
adolescents; Karan’s character and his counterpart Romila, set new trends for country’s modern
generation. (Mukherjee 2016)

The film has been viewed multiple times and the process of analysis and interpretation
began with the initial viewing. The process of data collection overlapped with data analysis
creating an open space for continuous interpretations of the various themes in the film.

31
Sample:
Film: Lakshya (English: aim, target, goal)

 Released: 18th June 2004

 Genre: Indian War Drama
 Running time: 185 minutes (3 hours 5 minutes)
 Language: Hindi
 Budget: 320 million Rupees (US$ 5 million)
 Box office: 332.5 million Rupees (US$ 5.2 million)
 Story, screenplay and dialogues: Javed Akhtar
 Director: Farhan Akhtar
 Producer: Ritesh Sidhwani

Plot:
The film revolves around the life of an aimless young man Karan Shergill, from Delhi
whose father is a successful businessman and his brother lives in the United States of America.
His girlfriend Romila Dutta is a student activist and aspires to become a journalist while his
friends are looking out for various career options. When one of his friends announces that he
will join the Indian army, everyone makes fun of him, but this makes Karan ponder over a
career in the military. He applies to the Indian Military Academy (IMA) against the wishes of
his parents and gets selected for the training while his friend backs out and ends up in the
training. He is not used to the discipline and the restricted life of the army which lands him up
into trouble with the authority leading to humiliating punishments and eventually he leaves the
training mid-way and goes home. His parents aren’t surprised by this as they were expecting
this to happen all along whereas his girlfriend gets upset that he could not be responsible for
once in his life and breaks up with him.

Understanding the graveness of the situation and the consequences of his actions, he
goes back to the Academy and continues his training with a new sense of responsibility towards
his career. There is a transition in Karan from the aimless urban young boy to the disciplined,

32
focused army personnel which gets him commissioned into the Indian army. He is posted to the
3rd battalion of the Punjab regiment which is headed by Colonel Sunil Damle that is stationed at
Kargil, Jammu and Kashmir. Karan goes to Delhi on leave and finds out that Romila is getting
engaged, he is upset by the event however his leave is cut short as he gets called back to the
regiment as there are some infiltrators in the Kargil region.

When he returns to Kargil, he gets promoted to the rank of Captain since he is in the
field area and a part of Operation Vijay and Col. Damle briefs the officers on the current
situation where a large group of infiltrators have crossed the Line of Control from Pakistan and
have captured mountainous peaks in the valley. The battalion is assigned to recapture peak 5179
from the insurgents, which is crucial for the Indian army as it dominates the main supply line
for the army, National Highway 1D. Since the insurgents have the control of the peak, they can
easily cut off the supply line isolating the army which in turn gives a great advantage to the
infiltrators to gain power in the valley. Colonel Damle briefs the officers regarding the
mountain which has its northern side in the Pakistani region across the LOC, the western side
has a 1000 feet long vertical cliff with rocky terrain and the southern side is an open field of 3
kilometers which is not a feasible option for attack. The battalion chooses the eastern side of the
peak for attack and prepares to move to the base where the first part of the attack is to find out
about the enemy bunkers which goes as planned. Romila breaks off her engagement with the
businessman she was supposed to marry and comes to Kargil as a war correspondent and meets
a changed Karan doing his job with finesse and is surprised at the course of events that lead to
it. Their relationship rekindles amidst the war zone and they find themselves garnering strong
emotions towards each other.

During the attack from the eastern side of the peak, the Indian forces do not manage to
recapture the peak as the insurgents had a strategic advantage of being on the top of the peak
and heavy artillery that was used to attack the army and the unit suffers severe causalities.
Following the unsuccessful attempt to recapture peak 5179, Brigadier of the regiment orders
Colonel Damle that the unit will oversee the Operation only for 48 more hours after which the
operation will be taken over by another unit of the regiment. Colonel Damle then orders a group
of 12 officers to scale the rocky cliff on the western side and attack the infiltrators from western
side while the unit provides them with artillery support from the eastern side. Karan is a part of

33
the team that is allocated to scale the mountain from the western side and he realizes that the
recapturing of peak 5179 is his goal and they set off to climb the rocky mountain. But they
encounter the Pakistani forces in the grassy field that leads to the peak and lose their chief and
some other soldiers along with radios and communication to the base. Out of the 12 who set out
to recapture the peak, only 6 remain and they decide to go ahead with the mission. Throughout
the evening, the six-army personnel scale the rocky cliff and reach the peak towards the end of
the night. They attack the Pakistani troops on the peak and manage to successfully eliminate the
infiltrators although they lose 3 more officers and Karan is severely wounded. In the morning,
Karan reaches the peak and hoists the tri-color Indian flag and signals that they have managed
to recapture the peak to Colonel Damle at the base of the peak. The film ends when Karan and
his family unites at the military hospital and Karan sets a new goal of being with Romila.

34
Chapter 5 : Analysis

This chapter has been outlined in a way that classifies analysis of the film into four major
sections based on the relationships in the film. Since the film is centered around the protagonist
Karan, all relationships in the film are linked to the protagonist which are used as sections to
understand representation of masculinities, femininities and nationalism in this film. After a
general introduction into the analytical process, the themes on father, love interest, friends and
military explicitly discussed followed by a detailed description of the songs in the film. I would
like to emphasize here that these themes are analyzed individually however, all the themes
tackle the issues of representation, masculinity, nationalism and the interconnectedness of the
same. Bringing the complexity of the research problem into focus, I would like to reflect on the
analysis and integrate these individual themes in the next chapter.

Making of the man:

The film starts off with a disclaimer stating that the film is based on an event in 1999
which serves as the backdrop for the entire movie which is fictional. The introduction to the
story begins from a scenic shot of the Kashmir valley and the interaction between Captain
Karan Shergill (the protagonist played by Hrithik Roshan) and his Commanding Officer played
by Amitabh Bachchan. This is followed by a series of introductions that happen between Karan
and the other members who come from different parts of the country and have different
religious orientations. During their introductions, the CO instructs one of the officers, Akbar to
take Karan with him and states very proudly “It’s time you saw what we have been sent here to
defend”. Clearly, a sense of patriotism and pride in their work is reflected in those words
however this exchange also shows that the men who are in the armed forced are expected to
defend their country irrespective of the conditions. This can be understood from the next part
where the officer explains to Karan about the Line Of Control (LOC) between India and
Pakistan and their duty towards their country by defending its borders.

35
 The bravery of the officers in the regiment is a cause of pride for the entire regiment of
officers which rules out any possibility of weakness or death and glorifies the dead by earning
them medals, certificates and trophies. The monologue extends further by claiming victory,
making the newcomer Karan, a part of its legacy and instilling the sense of duty to protect its
honor and dignity which is supported by the nation and its people. The visuals show how all
other officers are embracing these words of wisdom and taking pride in the work they do which
makes the entire population of the nation trust these men and make them responsible for their
safety.

The film keeps presenting visuals and dialogues that continuously create a sense of
patriotic pride in the actors as well as the audience however the notions of honor and dignity
come with the responsibility of protection. The spatial and the temporal frames are repeatedly
used as “flashbacks” of the protagonist’s memory which creates the delusion that there are two
parallel narratives rather than the chronological sequence of events that occur. These frames
clearly distinguish between the ‘aimless’ young man and the ‘patriotic’ soldier played by the
protagonist projecting the transformation at the forefront. The variation in the two roles played
by the protagonist are visually and symbolically significant in creating the narratives around
these two characters. While Karan in the army embodies a ‘masculine’ man with sharp clothes
and immaculate manners that eventually translate into ‘ideal’ type which distinctly contrasts
with the Karan from the university where he has baggy clothes and haphazard haircut making
him look ‘unruly’ and ‘immature’. (Balaji 2014, Chakravarty 2008, Edwards 2004, Hall 1997,
Nixon 1997, Osella and Osella 2004, Rajan 2006, Thussu 2002)

Father:
One of the crucial characters in the film is the father of the protagonist who is a
successful businessman in the country’s capital city; Karan’s father is a serious man with a
sense of pride regarding his achievement after they moved to India during Partition. He
describes the hardships faced by his family during the partition and the loss of wealth
(translated to ‘prestige’) to his son hoping that he will get inspired and joins the family business.
The role of a father in Bollywood movies has usually been that of an extremist who strictly
adheres to the ‘hegemonic’ ideals of fatherhood and being emotionally distanced from the
members of the family to provide for them.

36
 An absentee father is the most common theme in Bollywood cinema that links failed
past of colonialism and nationalism to the subservient masculinity embodied by the father
figure, usually deliberated through the resilient relationship with the mother (Gabriel 1998,
Gabriel 2010: 200). As Karan states, “Do you remember how in school...both your parents
would come on parents Day. My mom would, but did you even once see my Dad?” which
proves that most fathers are usually absent or escape the situations thereby creating a void of
emotional connectivity with their children. This can also be observed when Karan’s father does
not attend his graduation ceremony but the phone conversation between Karan and his father
before the final operation ends on an emotional note although the premise for the poignant
exchange between the father and the son is of patriotic pride rather than the vulnerability of the
situation in which Karan is in. The evident anxiety on being unable to control the situation is
clear by the actions of Karan’s father when he is not certain about the events happening near the
border. An important characteristic feature of the hegemonic masculinity is not being happy
when they are not in control of the situation. This can be juxtaposed to the entire realm of men
who feel threatened when they lose power over situations to women.

Karan’s father: What is this? What is this? Did you apply to the IMA? Are
you planning to sit for the exam?

Karan: Actually, Parvesh and...

Karan’s father: Did you ask us before making this decision? Answer me! Did
you ask me or your mother? You've lost your mind! Think you can do
whatever you feel like? Not in this house! You better understand that!

Karan: But Daddy, what have I...

Karan’s father: Shut up. I've had enough! Shalini, it's all our fault. He gets
whatever he wants! I'm here to earn the money!! Where's the need for him to
do anything? Apart from his regular nonsense. Now see this... he wants to join
the army! Karan, look at me...You will do as I say Understand that! You will
do exactly as I say! Enough is enough.

Karan’s mother: He's very upset. What's gotten into you! Just see how
Udesh...

Karan: please mummy, I am not Udesh!

( 'Lakshya (2004) Movie ScriptRead More:

37
 Https://Www.Springfieldspringfield.Co.Uk/Movie_script.Php?Movie=lakshya
')

Another theme that is related to the father-son liaison is the apprehension most fathers
have towards their sons’ career choices making that an important part of the conversations
between the father and the son which is evident from the film. Most discussions Karan and his
father have been directed towards Karan’s future that end up creating a strife against the father.
Even though he means well for his son, he does not come across subtly due to the stoic nature of
the father-figure which is in line with the angular and obdurate masculinities as discussed by
Gabriel. There also exists one description by his father that his brother is so much better than
Karan; Karan’s father and mother have a private conversation after Karan decides to quit the
IMA which he overhears. One of his male-friends justifies that it is the father who is responsible
for the kid’s career when Karan expresses his frustration that parents specially father’s always
nag about careers and work which also emphasizes that responsibility is a key aspect of
performing hegemonic masculinity. It is also interesting to observe that the women in the film;
Karan’s friend, Romila and Romila’s mom are very sure of their career choices making their
characters very crisp and sure.

Love interest:
The female protagonist in the film, Romila, is a strong-willed journalist who reports
the incidents from the war zone where she encounters Karan after their break-up. During the
entire film it is evident that Romila is an ambitious and brave feminist who does not shy away
from voicing her opinions whether it was politics or her personal life. Her character is visually
depicted as modern and progressive although she has the same societal expectations from Karan
that Indian women are pre-conditioned to expect from the male members of the society when
involved in a romantic relationship. When Karan praises Romila amongst his friends that she is
very clear about her career in journalism, one of his friends downplays her skills by associating
her choice with the occupation of her father as a Newspaper editor. This can be interpreted as a
modern-day jibe at the thought processes of most men who undermine women’s skills and
knowledge attributing their success to external factors. Karan responds by praising Romila’s

38
skills and his friend ridicules Karan’s feelings towards Romila calling him a ‘lover boy’ which
does not go well but the focus here is on public admission of romantic feelings towards a
powerful female character.

When Karan gets accepted into Indian Military Academy (IMA), he proposes to
Romila and she is positive in her reaction although she is not very articulate about it. The
scenario that she does not expect occurs, Karan decides to quit the IMA and she responds in a
harsh way which is fathomable, but she associates his inability to continue at the academy with
‘values’ around ‘honor’ and ‘respect’ (‘izzat’) and decides that they should not see each other
again leaving him with no agency in the matters of their relationship.

Karan: I'm not going back

Romila: What do you mean? You ran away, didn't you!? For once you had
made your own decision only to be defeated in a few days. Your parents were
upset but you said, "It's my life, I'll decide what I want" Is this what you
decided?

Karan: I can understand you're annoyed, but...

Romila: What do you understand, Karan? Remember, it was here that you
said... you wanted to marry me perhaps even that decision has changed!

Karan: What are you saying, Romi!

Romila: What should I say!? When someone can't respect himself or his own
decision... How can I expect him to respect me?

Karan: Please listen to...

Romila: Don't touch me I don't think I ever want to meet you again.
( 'Lakshya (2004) Movie ScriptRead More:
Https://Www.Springfieldspringfield.Co.Uk/Movie_script.Php?Movie=lakshya
')
Although the translation reads ‘izzat’ as respect, the oxford dictionary attributes
‘honor, reputation or prestige’ as potential meanings for the Urdu word which changes the
interpretation of the above conversation between Karan and Romila .(Dorjee et al. 2013: 6)
Bringing ‘honor’ into the debate, it is important to understand that the Indian context brackets

39
women and their sexuality alongside the ideals of honor and prestige for men, families and the
society. A parallel analogy can be drawn between the nation and its people where the country
represents a female entity, in this case Mother India, which needs protection against intruders
who disrupt the honor of the country. Men are expected to ‘protect’ their women and their
countries which is reflected in the film throughout in the form of symbolic representations.

Another instance in the film where Karan finishes his training at IMA and calls
Romila to inform her about it exposes his vulnerable side, but he chooses to express his grief by
trying to control the situation. This grief is significant of the loss of power in the relationship
that is caused by his inability to prove himself responsible and he tries to overcome it by
limiting his interaction with her. When they meet after a gap, there is miscommunication when
Karan congratulates Romila on her engagement to a businessman that she was dating. But
Romila does not inform Karan about the eventual end of that engagement which takes place
right before she travels to Kargil to be a war correspondent for the TV channel she works for.
The fight that occurs between Romila and her fiancé is a paradoxical illustration of the ‘pseudo-
feminist’ ideas that float around among members of the society who think that women’s
freedom is situated within the constraints of the society and its expectations from the ideal
Indian woman. Karan behaves cordially with Romila during the time of conflict, ideally being
the ‘military’ man focused on his duty to protect the Nation first and the women of the country.

A critical detail that is situated on the fluid boundaries of masculinity and nationhood
is the distinct behavior of Karan during his mission and after that when he makes Romila his
target. Not only does this objectifies women as ‘passive’ who can be ‘achieved’ and it also hints
at the obvious fact that protecting the nation is an important goal than inter-personal
relationships between the characters in the film. Romila’s character seems like an unbiased
news reporter who is doing her duty at the heart of the conflict in Kargil but the younger version
of Romila is shown as a university student who leads a protest to fight against the corrupt
administration of the university.

40
 Using Pierre Bourdieu’s theories on habitus and doxa, Kalpagam has argued that
women internalize patriarchal prescriptions and expectations rather than resisting them in
numerous ways. She notes that women often tend to use the inevitable tryst with patriarchal
order for their personal means which can happen at different sites. Women negotiate between
internalization and resistance in unique ways depending on the contextuality of the event in
which they must decide on whether to comply with patriarchal order or to resist it. (Kalpagam
2000: 177) This fluidity in women’s engagement with patriarchal order allows reproduction of
hegemonic ideals of masculinity giving a leeway for the emergence and development of the new
man narratives.

Friends:
Karan’s peer group categorically represents the urban, upper-middle class who hang out
at bowling alleys and drive cars. The aspirations expressed by these young boys and girls have
diversified professional career choices like engineering, hotel management and joining the army
which are opportunities usually opted by young men and women whose family can support
them and their dreams. Karan and Romila share the same group of friends which is a clear
indication towards the fact that they have been friends even before their apparent love for each
other. This group of friends do not necessarily share the same passion for materialistic things,
but their conversations provide an insight into the minds of youth of the new millennia who are
cautiously treading the delicate boundaries of dreams and survival. The conversation between
these friends before Karan decides to join the army about how they don’t wake up in the
morning further proves that they are a privileged social position that does not necessarily
require them to work but they choose careers where they have a better chance of success. Also
crucial is the fact that Karan applies to the IMA because his friend Parvesh had decided to do so
but when Parvesh backs out stating that his father gives him a better suggestion of going to the
United States for a degree in management, Karan is upset with his friend. Although the setting
of the scene is inclined towards a comical angle, it brings out the nuances of peer pressure that
makes the young generation to make negligent decisions. Continuing the discussion around that
scene, Karan comes back with a sudden interest towards Parvesh’s career plan which indicates
his wavering personality and indecisive nature.

41
 The other set of friends that Karan is seen interacting is during his training in the IMA
where his fellow colleagues become his buddies and he has jovial interactions before the drastic
change in his personality. There is a serious shift in the way Karan’s character plays out before
and after the transition where his carefree, prudish behavior landed him into trouble whereas he
becomes a responsible and mature adult in the next phase. His relationship with his friends also
transitions from recklessness to responsibility. The homosocial aspect of the film continues
throughout without ever crossing the boundaries of platonic friendship which resonates with the
contextual setting where homosexuality is a punishable crime by the law. There are very few
traces of exhibiting ‘nationalistic’ behavior in these interactions but the ones that are shown as
being patriotic do not necessarily bring out the ‘nationalistic’ flavor in the scene. When Karan’s
friend, Parvesh states “I feel my country needs me”, it becomes more of a justification that he
provides for his choice rather than the intention to serve his country. During his initial days of
training when Karan seems uninterested in the sessions, there are specific references made to
masculinity and performance of manhood in the military which can be coupled with allusions
about nationalism. This scene from the film explicitly glorifies the nation and creates the
hegemonic ‘ideal’ which is laden with the responsibility of proving themselves worthy of the
IMA and the Indian Army.

“Gentlemen Cadets... I, Adjutant of the I.M. A, Lt. Col. Pratap

Singh...welcome you to the academy. Today, you are stepping into a new
life. And I expect, that with every passing day...you will prove worthy of
this great institution. Know that you are here because you are special. The
Indian Military Academy is a great institution ...who's commitment cannot
be praised in just words first, our country... second, the army... then, his
unit and finally, concern for himself...that is the trademark of an I.M. A
trained officer. Gentlemen cadets you must preserve the honor and
traditions of IMA.”

('Lakshya (2004) Movie ScriptRead More:

Https://Www.Springfieldspringfield.Co.Uk/Movie_script.Php?Movie=laks
hya')

42
 The following incident connects masculinity of the hero to femininity of his mother in a
complex concoction of masculinity, power, morality and the state stresses on the impact of the
‘feminine’ as a negative enticement in shaping the masculinities. The performance of
masculinity is shown to be dependent on feminine counterparts which also includes the nation.
Gabriel discusses the ability of mothers in the narrative(s) to “endorse” the masculine power of
her son placing her in an authoritative position within the intersectional order of gendered
hierarchies.(Gabriel 2010: 203)

“Gentlemen, there are three basic rules in handling a weapon: One, a strong
grip, Two, a focused mind and Three, precise trigger operation. You will now
learn how to acquire a strong grip. Karan Shergill

- Yes, Sergeant

Detail, get ready to charge! Charge! Attack! Stab! Draw! Hit! Cut! Charge!!
Detail, get ready to charge!

-Charge

What's the matter? Where's your energy? Didn't your mother feed you? You
need to have fire in the belly! Move out of line and watch the others. Come
on, move fast.”

('Lakshya (2004) Movie ScriptRead More:

Https://Www.Springfieldspringfield.Co.Uk/Movie_script.Php?Movie=lakshya
')

Analyzing these instances only go a step further in proving the apparent link between
masculinity and nationalism as seen from academic literature. The dramatic effects that
accompany these situations only highlight the importance of masculinity and nationalism in the
daily lives of Indian urban middle class.

43
The army:
“The values of the army infused in the soldier through the years of training are enumerated

below

 Espirit-de-Corps The spirit of comradeship and brotherhood of the brave, regardless

of caste, creed or religion. The motto is, "One for all and all for one"!
 Spirit of Selfless Sacrifice The tradition is never to question, but to do or die for the
three "Ns"; Naam, i.e. name-honour- of the unit/Army/Nation, 'Namak'(salt) i.e. loyalty
to the Nation, and 'Nishan', i.e. the insignia or flag of his unit/regiment/Army/Nation
which the soldiers hold afloat willingly.
 Valour Fearlessness in combat and in the face of the enemy even when fighting
against great odds or even when facing sure death.
 Non-discrimination The Indian Army does not discriminate on account of caste,
creed or religion. A soldier is a soldier first and anything else later. He prays under a
common roof. It is this unique character, which makes him bind in a team despite such
diversity.
 Fairness and Honesty The spirit of honesty and fair play. He fights for a just cause
that extends even to the enemy (prisoner or wounded).
 Discipline and Integrity Discipline and integrity impart the feeling of patriotism,
honesty and courage under all circumstances, however strong be the provocation
otherwise.
 Fidelity, Honour and Courage He is a man on whose shoulders lies the honour and
integrity of his nation. He knows that he is the last line of defence and he cannot fail the
Nation.
 Death to Dishonour A close bond amongst soldiers forces them to choose death to
dishonour. The concept of 'IZZAT' (HONOUR) in the clan / unit enables them to shun
the fear of death; to be called a coward in the peer group is worse than death.
 Forthrightness A soldier has to be forthright, for on his word the men he leads are
going to lay down their lives without questioning why.” ( 'The Ethos')

The official website of the Indian army celebrates its values and ideals by listing them
which evoke a sense of Service before Self bonding the soldiers in this spirit. Indian army is the
sum of men from all over the country as shown in the film with their diverse backgrounds but a
sole purpose of protecting their nation. Visuals of the army men and their lifestyle presents a
definite understanding of the discipline and rigidity of the structural and functional aspects of
army. The men that are shown in the film are Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, they come from rural
as well as urban areas, they are doctors, technicians and soldiers and some of them are married
and some are not however it is interesting to note that the army is a space for diverse and inter-
generational interaction.

44
 It is always competitive between the colleagues in the battalion who are constantly trying to
prove their worth amongst others. There also exists a copious amount of hierarchy in the
structural organization which demands a strict disciplinarian like Col. Damle who maintains this
structural hierarchy. He is the embodiment of all the traits that can be attributed to hegemonic
masculinity and nationalistic individual. This also draws upon his specific mould of heroism,
his status within the industry and hos star status in India and the substantial fan base he has.
Right from the beginning of the film, Col. Damle portrayed by the legendary actor Amitabh
Bachchan, maintains the composed and strict attitude of the father-figure for the men in his
battalion. Even during difficult times when they lose a lot of men, he doesn’t stop pursuing his
goal which reaffirms his hegemonic status among the other men and his performance of his
gender role. His nationalism comes out in a straight forward manner without any sugar-coating,
but he makes extreme things like death and disability seem very normal or events to be proud of
rather than be sad about. Although we see a level of vulnerability among the men and the
Colonel, they justify their acts by believing that they are protecting the population of the
country by defending its borders.

It is also important to see how media is used to show the differentiation between the ‘good’
us versus the ‘bad’ them; Indian military is in uniform while the supposedly ‘Pakistani’
intruders are not in their uniform which captures the deviance that the ‘other’ projects. Another
instance where stark contrast occurs between the Indian soldiers and the Pakistani troops is
when they return the dead to the respective countries. It is shown that the Pakistani army refuses
to claim the bodies of their soldiers and Col. Damle wants a proper burial for those men, but his
men do not like this idea and one of them reminisces that the Pakistani forces had returned the
bodies of Indian soldiers in a bad state by mutilating them. Damle directs the attention towards
the differences between the two countries and mocks the Pakistani army for not accepting the
dead bodies of its soldiers back and he states clearly that the Indian army maintains a level of
integrity even with its enemies. The demarcation between the countries continues throughout
the film creating a divide between the ‘moral’ and ‘immoral’, the ‘good’ and ‘bad, the ‘correct’
and ‘wrong’. They make fun of the Pakistanis saying, “They can’t handle their homes, but they
want to rule the world” which also points out the political tensions between the neighboring
countries over the issue of Kashmir.

45
 Emotional vulnerability of men can be captured essentially in all the songs but there are
scenes enacted throughout the film that show a drastic expression of grief, disappointment, loss
and death by the men. When one of Karan’s friend is killed in the shelling on the highway,
Romila expresses her frustrations as a citizen of the country that there should not be any wars
which makes one of the martyr’s friend lose his calm. She talks about peace and cooperation
between the two nations when the man expresses his pent-up anger about the end goal of peace
and cooperation, but he also points out to the very fact that surrendering to the enemies or
begging for mercy is not going to defend the country. The distinction between Indian and
Pakistanis is clearly demarcated by physical boundaries, but it is also culturally coded that
Pakistanis are the ‘others’ trying to invade ‘our’ land. The quotation of the soldier that Captain
Abir Saxena was killed on Indian territory and he was just defending his homeland confirms the
affirmation that the Pakistanis are morally corrupt as they are trying to invade the Indian
territory. As men, the soldiers take it upon themselves to defend the country in the same way
they defend their women. This parallel analogy between men trying to defend boundaries is a
recurring theme in Bollywood but specific reference to war genre, it is overtly exhibited, it is
overtly exhibited which can be extended to the social norms that restrict the sexuality of women
in the hopes of defending honor and prestige.

Music:
The music of the film is composed by the musical trio of Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy and
the lyrics have been penned down by Javed Akhtar, which earned mixed reviews from the
audience. The music is very new-age when it comes to the lyrics and the instruments, but it also
has deep meaningful connotations when the lyrics are contextually situated. There are five
major audio-visual picturizations of the songs which are a part of the film and the story-telling
process with an addition of three sound tracks that are included in the official album. For this
analysis, it would be ideal to look at the content of the songs in the film; the title track
“Lakshya” is a patriotic song with techno beats that is modern and hip. It is a motivational song
that plays in the background during the transition of Karan from reckless to responsible young
adult. There are two love songs, “Agar Main Kahoon” (If I say) and “Kitni Baatein” (Many
things) which are picturized on Karan and Romila. While the former is a happy peppy song that
discusses the ways in which they can express their love for each other, the latter is a sad

46
reminiscing song that is situated in a conflict zone which resonates the state of their relationship
at that instant. “Kandhon Se Milte Hain Kandhe” is another patriotic song that motivates the
soldiers drawing attention to all their hardships near the border all the while making them feel
proud of their job. The final song is the song picturized on Hrithik Roshan that showcased his
dancing skills is titled “Main Aisa Kyu Hoon” (Why am I this way) that is a first-person
narrative by Karan who is undecided about his future.

All the songs are situated contextually in a milieu of emotions and incidents that lead up
to them bringing the most important aspect to the forefront. There is a balance between
patriotism and romance in the composition of the album which also addresses the theme of the
movie in the final song.

Narrative of the film:

The film has recurring scenes from the past that keep the contrast between the two
versions of Karan’s character during the film which is very creative in differentiating the
responsible from the reckless. It is interesting to note that the transition of the character happens
due to a series of emotionally sad events and the protagonist ‘realizes’ his goal and works
towards achieving it. This is a common theme used by most Bollywood movies to represent the
shift in the character’s core values but usually they have a point of culmination like that in the
case of phoenix that burns down to ashes before rising out of it. Lakshya follows a similar
trajectory in its narrative form but that is just the first half of the story which deals with Karan
and his struggle to become an adult in the modern world whereas the second half is about the
war and the technicalities that are involved in the war scenario. The visuals in the second half
are more aesthetically accurate with a natural aura of the conflicted valley seeping into the
narrative. Although the evolution of Karan’s character defies logic, it is realistic and appeals to
the audience at a deeper level depending on their individual perspective.

47
Chapter 6 : Conclusions

As Karan’s character transitioned throughout the film, a complex network of factors

played part in shaping his character as discussed in the categories above. My analysis of
Lakshya shows a consistency in the representation of masculinities and nationalism and their
interplay during the interpretations of incidents from the film. Although, the hegemonic form of
masculinity dominates the narrative, there exists an emerging narrative in favor of the ‘new
man’ which resonates with changing times. Revisiting the research problem, it can be argued
that there exists a dynamic relationship between specific representations of masculinities and
nationalist identity in Bombay cinema. This is based on the socio-cultural context of the sample
and varies with geo-political situations in fixed temporal frames. Appreciating the literature that
provides a combined lens to look at gender and nationalism in cinematic medium, it can be
argued that the film is in sync with theoretical aspects of gender, nationalism and media
representations.

Reflecting on the New man:

My analysis of the film shows the different types of masculinities represented in the film
by discussing their characteristic features and their positionality in terms of nation. Various
representations throughout the film show the interconnectedness of sexuality and nation as axes
for performing gender by the characters. Karan’s transformation could reinforce specific
features of the hegemonic ideal amalgamated with newer notions of manhood to create a type of
masculinity that is not rigid like the hegemonic form nor drastically departing from it. Although
the film appears to be challenging the male status quo in the society, it promotes hegemonic
ideals through its narrative which appears to be heading towards a more ‘acceptable’ nationalist
form. Socio-cultural context of India places males in a superior power status than females
however there is a shift in control during the narrative that returns to the main protagonist
towards the end. The discourse on nationalism has been unwavering throughout the film which
affects the characters at various levels, but this is actively seen during the second half of the
film and during the active conflict. The difference in positionality of male and female characters
in terms of nation is emphasized clearly by defining their respective roles during the conflict

48
and their notions about war. It is also important to note that ‘nation’ as a deterministic factor
shaping the masculinities and femininities has considerable effect on the representation and
operation of sexuality in the Indian context.

The film has proven to be different from other films in the industry by representing the
male characters distinctively from the beginning however there are limits to the extent to which
they can be portrayed as ‘acceptable forms’. If we look at the spectrum of masculinities, ranging
from hegemonic masculinity to marginalized masculinities, the film situates most of its
characters towards the hegemonic end with negotiable spaces closer to the middle but not to the
extreme effeminate end. The outliers which are close to hegemonic form are reformed as in the
case of Karan’s father which can be contrasted to the character of Col. Damle and other officers
who are praised for their actions. The messages that can be interpreted by such representations
could be, “men can be emotional but not too emotional” or “men need to be responsible for the
protection of the nation and its women”. Such mixed representations have created different
versions of masculinities that are in a flux to produce the ‘new man’ although there is a need to
question the forms that have been excluded from representation.

Limitations and scope:

Listing the limitations of the paper, first, the text is polysemic and the interpretations of
the readers might be different from my readings of the text. The themes and categories used for
analysis in this paper might not be applicable to other samples as they were generated from the
sample itself. Second, the paper looks primarily at important characters in the film subduing the
secondary characters which could form diverse narratives. This paper is not exhaustive of the
interpretations so there will always be new additions to the literature in this field of study.
Lastly, my paper does not aim to generalize conclusions for the complete Bombay cinema
industry that comprises of diverse genres but there is scope for exploration of representation in
Bombay cinema in the future.

49
 Various combinations of studies around masculinity, nationalism and Bombay cinema are
possible providing a plethora of opportunities for researchers and academicians. The goal of this
paper was to understand and problematize the representation of masculinities and nationalism in
Bombay cinema through discourse analysis of Lakshya. The discourse on nationalism may also
show new variations if applied to masculinities and femininities in different socio-political
contexts. Critical engagement with the omission of ‘unacceptable’ forms of masculinities will
open new doors for enquiry into representational aspect of masculinity studies. A feminist
reading into the power dynamics between the strong female lead and the transitioning male
protagonist could add an interesting perspective to the discourse which can be explored further.
I hope Bombay cinema continues to inspire people by producing movies like Lakshya that have
shown remarkable shift from the hegemonic ideals of masculinity, nationalism and cinematic
representation itself. It would be interesting to see how masculinities and their representation in
Bollywood films evolve paving way for the emergence of ‘new man’ whose masculinity would
be relevant to the changing temporal frames. After all, creative minds in Bombay cinema would
find innovative ways to tell stories to a large group of people in India through Bombay cinema
where characters may exhibit the infinite number of masculinities on the spectrum.

50
51
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